2019 Electric Bike Outfitters 48V Burly Kit Review

To run the forums, host the website, and travel, I charge a universal service fee for my reviews. This in-depth review was sponsored by Electric Bike Outfitters. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased with you, this video and writeup are not meant to be an endorsement of Electric Bike Outfitters products. I welcome your corrections, additions, and feedback in the comments below and the Electric Bike Outfitters electric bike forums.

Pros:

• A fully featured and complete electric bicycle conversion kit that allows you take a conventional bike and upgrade it with an electrical 48v system, is extremely versatile in application as well as options available to the consumer, applications range anywhere from folding bikes to trikes while options allow you to change even the legal class limitations of the project
• They also offer the Cruiser kit that mounts the battery in the rear with included rack, for some, this may fit your application better, although very similar, make sure to check out that review to weigh the pros and cons of each application to see what is best for your situation
• The main benefit to the Burley setup as opposed to the Cruiser is that the Burley keeps the weight nice and center, having the 7.2lb battery in the middle makes for a better ride and turning, this also reduces frame flex that the Cruiser can create on certain frame types
• The display options get an upgrade for 2019/2020, you can now chose between grayscale, or a color display option for both landscape or portrait configurations, it is little details like this that make the kit so versatile and considerate of the many options customers my want or need
• The motors have been upgraded, one of my past gripes was that the motor seemed to take a moment to catch on, they went from three hall sensors now to four, this means a more consistent speed reading and makes for a much better feeling system
• The battery gets a boost too, it was once a 48v 11.6ah, now it is using a 48v 12.8ah system, so it is over 600 watt hours, this means you get the same powerful system, but now with more range than before, they are also using LG cells, so you know it is a high quality battery
• The battery is very functional and has many features such as a USB charging port (so you can power items off of it or use it as a portable power bank), an LED charge level indicator, is secured via lock and key, has a latch handle, and also a power switch, I also love that the charging port is nice and high up away from the crank arm, so it won’t get snagged if the bike is charging and gets bumped
• Continuing on the versatility of the kit, the battery setup can be accommodated for not just dual batteries, but multiple batteries in one set up, Electric Bike Outfitters tells me they have done up to 4 batteries in one setup before which is pretty much unheard of, great for if you really want to go the distance
• Charging is done with a 1.5lb 2amp charger so that slower charge will help the battery life, to really care for this and other lithium-ion packs, I have heard that storing in a cool dry location vs. extreme heat or cold will extend the life and try to keep it about 50% full when not using for long periods so you won’t stress the cells, try not to let it run down to zero, because that’s really hard on the cell chemistry
• Electric Bike Outfitters also has battery integrated light options, I find the headlight to be really bright here, safety has always been a priority for myself and other cyclists, so it’s nice to see that more and more companies are including these on ebikes
• During my factory tour, I got to see all sorts of behind the scenes things that attest to the direction of the company, for example, they work with a local hospital to make custom trikes and special consideration bikes, their kit works on wheels from 16”-29” so there is so much versatility, they even have custom cable lengths so you can outfit recumbent trikes, this really shows you how much they care about spreading the joy of ebikes
• EBO has been around since 2012, they offer a generous 30-day return policy with a one year warranty, and they ship worldwide… I trust them a lot more than some of the generic kits found on Ebay
• The kits offer a lot of choice in terms of color, both the hub casing and rim can be ordered in silver or black to match your bike
• Whether you’ve got a recumbent, kids bike, folding bike, city bike, or mountain bike, it seems like Electric Bike Outfitters can build a wheel to fit your bike because they spoke in-house and build to order
• EBO uses nicer parts on their rims and thicker spokes to handle the additional forces of a hub motor, their Julet connectors are water tight and color-coded for easier assembly and repair
• Safety is a big focus for me, so I appreciate the more sensitive cadence sensor, adjustable top speed settings, different throttle options (trigger, half-twist, and full-twist) as well as the brake lever motor inhibitors
• If your bike uses hydraulic brakes, EBO does have an optional sensor and magnet unit that can be screwed and glued on to enable motor inhibiting, but it’s not as elegant or simple as the included stock mechanical brake levers, but it’s a nice option to have, their rims also work with linear pull brakes too
• The original display panel is large, easy to read, full of interesting settings to experiment with (and EBO has a nice manual to help you do so on their website), and it has an integrated USB charging port, though the display cannot be easily removed for protection at bike racks or wet days
• On the one hand, installing the hard-mounted cadence sensor takes more time and tools than one that is glued or zip-tied on, but on the other hand, it is going to be more secure this way, and I found that it worked very well during the ride tests
• The motor is rated for 350 watts nominal and 816 watts peak, so you can really use it in a wide variety of ways, it feels really zippy when I tested it and I like that you can essentially build a Class 1, Class 2, Class 3, or even something beyond that depending on where you plan to ride it
• The hub motor can be setup in a front or rear wheel configuration, and EBO offers single speed, 6 to 9 speed, and Shimano and Sun Race cassette options
• Being able to transform an existing bike into electric with multiple drive modes and higher speeds like this for just over $1.4k seems pretty good to me, there are cheaper kits out there, but most of them don’t offer this level of performance or support, a kit is something you defiantly want done the right way for safety and reliability
• You can activate walk mode to help move the bike by holding the down arrow if it is standing still, if you enter into the menu settings you can activate cruise control and then when riding over 6 mph, hold the down arrow for a few seconds to set cruise speed, in the settings you can also enable throttle mode at assist level zero if you want… or even remove the throttle and only use pedal assist only as a Class 3 ebike going up to 28 mph, there are just so many options
• Before shipping each battery, the team at Electric Bike Outfitters actually drains and refills it to test all of the cells, I was told that they experience a 1% failure rate and by testing like this, it saves you time and hassle as the end consumer
• The actual motor casing has been custom designed by Jason, the founder of EBO, and he made it fit on a wider number of narrower forks like the a Giant road bike for example, it works with linear pull brakes or disc brakes (you can mount dis brake rotors directly to the side of the hub casing)
• Hub motor ebikes can often have more pedal gears to work with than mid-motors (because they can easily support multiple front chainrings), and shifting gears causes less wear because the motor power is separate from the pedaling drivetrain
• 75% or so of Electric Bike Outfitters sales are done through bike shops, this is a great route to go to get your conversion done by a top notch place, you can still do it yourself if you are a tinkerer, but having the option to have shops help is great, it is not uncommon for those new to conversions to come across some unforeseen obstacles

Cons:

• The battery charger is a bit basic, only offering a standard 2amp power output, it could take a long time to charge the battery from dead to full, especially given the newer high amp hour rating, and it’s not super compact or lightweight… still, it should fit into your backpack or other bags easily for charging on the go
• Bottle cage bosses are great for all sorts of accessories, but be prepared to potentially lose that feature if you are mounting the mid-battery setup here, if you want to keep the bottle cage bosses on your frame, I recommend taking a look at the other kit, the 48v Cruiser setup, it may be better for your application
• Unlike a purpose-built electric bike, kits usually have extra wires that aren’t as hidden or neat looking, the battery mount slide connects to the downtube with two bolts vs. three or some even sturdier custom designs, this could really make the bike stand out in a bad way as it can look homemade if not done right
• The 8-magnet cadence sensor worked pretty well, and can be adjusted for sensitivity in the settings area of the display, but it simply isn’t as fluid or dynamic as a torque sensor or multi-sensor, there’s a bit of lag starting and stopping, the four hall sensors do help with this though a bit
• Geared hub motors tend to produce more buzzing noise than gearless, especially when running at higher power, this one is about average but you can always get the lower powered 36V kit if you want to be stealthier
• Installing a kit like this will take a bit of time, energy, and possibly additional tools like a crankset puller and bottom bracket wrench, you might even want to get your local ebike shop to help you, and that adds to the price
• The throttle is hot when the bike is turned on, I do like this for throttle override when you need to get out of the way of something quickly, but do be aware for new riders or people trying out the bike that a bump of the throttle could send it off
• Most hub motors have the power cable entering into the axle from one side, and this can be a point of vulnerability if the bike tips or you ride close to obstacles that could snag or scrape it, a few of the new Dapu motors have their power cables tucked very closely (behind the disc brake rotor) but I don’t think that you can order them aftermarket as kits
• Turning this bike on and off requires two steps, which adds a bit of time, you first have to click the battery pack itself on and then press the power button on the control pad, just remember to turn it all off before dismounting, transporting, and storing to prevent accidental activation

Useful Resources:

• Official Electric Bike Outfitters Website